Eton Mess
Easy recipe for Eton Mess, a British summer classic made with crisp meringue, whipped cream, and fresh strawberries.
Light, luscious, and delightfully unpretentious, Eton Mess is a British summer classic made with crisp meringue, whipped cream, and fresh strawberries. This easy dessert comes together in minutes (if you use store-bought meringue) and proves that sometimes, the best bakes are the messiest.
Eton Mess
Ingredients
- 2 large egg whites (room temperature)
- 100g caster sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- 300ml double cream (heavy cream)
- 300g fresh strawberries (hulled and halved or quartered)
- 1–2 teaspoons icing sugar (optional)
- Extra strawberries or crushed meringue for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
If you are using homemade meringues: Preheat your oven to 110°C (100°C fan) or 250°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- 2
In a clean, dry bowl, whisk 2 large egg whites at room temperature until soft peaks form. Gradually add 100g caster sugar, one tablespoon at a time, whisking well after each addition until stiff, glossy peaks form. You can add 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract if desired.
- 3
Spoon or pipe the meringue onto the tray in small rounds or rustic blobs. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside for another 15 minutes to dry out. Let them cool completely.
- 4
To make the filling, whip 300ml double cream (heavy cream) until soft peaks form. You can sweeten the cream with 1–2 teaspoons of icing sugar if you like.
- 5
Hull and halve (or quarter) 300g fresh strawberries. Lightly crush half of them with a fork to release their juices and keep the rest in chunks.
- 6
To assemble the dessert, roughly crush the cooled meringues. In a large bowl, gently fold together the whipped cream, crushed strawberries, strawberry chunks, and meringue pieces. Mix just enough to combine—don’t overmix. It should look like a messy, marbled mixture.
- 7
Spoon into serving glasses or a bowl and garnish with extra strawberries or crushed meringue if desired.
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